Room air conditioner condensate disposal



Nov. 29, 1960 s L. MQMILLAN ETAL ROOMIIAIR CONDITIONER CONDENSATE DISPOSAL Filed Dec. 28, 1959 STEPHEN L. McMlLLAN 3" MA SSA F'IGZ THE I R ATTORNEY DISPOSAL United States Patent ROOM AIR CONDITIONER CONDENSATE Stephen L. McMillan, Wheaten, Ill., and Don J. Massa, Louisville, Ky., assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 28, 1959, Ser. No. 862,287

3 Claims. (Cl. 62-150) .The present invention relates to a room air conditioning apparatus and more particularly to an arrangement for disposing of the condensate water from the sump of such apparatus which sump at times may be exposed to the freezing weather conditions.

Although the invention is particularly applicable to condensate disposal means utilized in a reversible-flow type air conditioner which is used asa means for cooling air in the summer and as a source of heat in the winter, it. will be understood that the invention is also applicable to the ordinary air conditioner that is permanently installed and used only for ventilation or exhaust purposes during the Winter months. For the purposes of illustration, however, the invention will be shown and-described inconnection with a room air conditioner which may be utilized for both heating-and coolingan enclosure.

r Some of these units employa reversible-type refrigeration system containing two heat exchangers, one located Within an inner compartment of the unit and exposed to indoor .air While the other heat exchanger is located in an outer compartment which is exposed to the outdoor air. Fans or blowers are provided in the unit for circulating separate streams of air from the enclosure and the outdoors through the inner and outer compartments respectively. The refrigeration system is reversible for heating or cooling air circulated from the enclosure. A sump, normally positioned in the outer compartment of the conditioning unit, is utilized for collecting condensate water which condenses out of the air passing over the heat exchanger being utilized as an evaporator. dispose of the condensate water collecting within the shmp, many conditioners employ a slinger ring which is attached to the periphery of the fan in the outer compartment. The slinger ring extends or dips into the condensate water in the sump and, during the rotation of the fan, throws water out of the sump onto the other components of the outer compartment; preferably onto the heat exchanger in the outer compartment.

In an air conditioning unit having the above-described type of slinger and fan arrangement, there is a possibility, when the unit is used during the winter months, that the slinger might become frozen solidly within ice which sometimes forms in the condensate sump when the outdoor temperature drops below freezing. In such a case, the fan is prevented from rotating by the ice around the slinger and this either causes the fan motor to overheat or results in some other serious damage to the mechanical parts of the unit. In the ordinary non-reversible type air conditioner which remains mounted during the winter time and which is utilized for exhausting air from the enclosure, rain water and snow sometimes leak into the outer compartment of the unit and into the sump to become frozen solidly around the slinger on the fan. Insuch a case, when the conditioner is turned on to exhaust air from enclosure or to provide ventilation for the enclosure,

d mage to the fan motor. or other components could re- In order to ;fan and the outer heat exchanger while the bottonr'jside' of the flexible diaphragmis exposed to air pressure from the outdoors Or from other portions of the outer com- The pressure difference on opposite sides of the diaphragm during operation of the fan causes 'it to deflect upwardly and to raise the drain hole above the lowermost portion of the slinger thereby raising the water It is an object of the present invention to provide a conment for assuring that the water slinger cannot become frozen into ice forming in the condensate sump whenever the outdoor temperature drops below freezing.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a sump having a drain arrangement adapted to raise the water level within the sump above the slinger whenever the fan is operating and to lower the water level in the sump below the slinger when the fan causes to operate so that the condensate slinger is in contact with the water only when the fan is in operation.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, n

and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexcd'to and forming a part of this specification.

In carrying out the objects of the present invention, there is provided an air conditioning apparatus which is housed within a casing divided by a barrier into inner The apparatus employs a refrigeration system including a heat exchanger located in the .outer compartment over which outdoor air is circulated. A fan is provided in the outer compartment and disposed downstream from the outer heat exchanger for circulating outside air through this heat exchanger and tween the outer heat exchanger and the fan.

the outer compartment. Because of the downstream location of the fan with respect to the heat exchanger a low pressure region is created between the fan and the heat exchanger as compared with the pressure in the remaining portions of the outer compartment or a com- A condensate sump is disposed in the outer compartment for collecting con-, densate water from the refrigeration system and has a,

pared with outdoor air pressure.

portion thereof exposed to the low pressure region be A slinger ring attached to the periphery of the fan extends into the sump and, during rotation of the fan, throws condensate water into the upper portions of the outer compartment. In order to raise or lower the level of the condensate water within the sump above or below the lowermost porpartment.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which:

' Fig. 1 is an elevational view, taken partially in sectionrl. illustrating the condensate water collection sump and the" location of the flexible diaphragm therein;

Fig. 2 is a greatly enlarged top view of the portion of the sump containing the flexible diaphragm;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the flexible dia-' phragm, taken along line 33 of Fig. 2, illustrating the normal position of the diaphragm; and

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the flexible dia- Whenever the fan phragm illustrating how it raises the level of the water in the sump during operation of the fan.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown an air conditioner of the reversible refrigerant-flow type which is arranged to be positioned within-an opening in' an enclosure. The unit-comprises a casing 2 divided by a barrier 3 into an inner compartment 4 and an outer-compartment 7 within which thereare mounted respectively an indoor heat exchanger 6 and an outdoor heat exchanger 8. The heat exchangers 6 and 8 are connected in refrigerant-flow relationship with a compressor 9 also positioned in the outer compartment 7. In the illustrated'embodiment of the invention, the conditioner is .provided with a reversing valve 11 which may be selectively operated to reverse the flow of refrigerant to the heat exchangers 6 and 8. When the conditioner is in operation, air is drawn from within the room and circulated by an air moving means or fan 12 through the inner compartment 4 of 'the conditioner and passed over the heat'exchanger 6. The fan 12 is .driven by a motor 19 mounted in the barrier 3. During opera= tion of the unit on a cooling cycle the heat exchanger6 is operated as an evaporator and moisture from the air being circulated over the heat exchanger 6 is condensedonto the coil surfaces of the heat exchanger and drains downwardly into a suitable drip tray 13 from which it is delivered by means of an insulated conduit 14 to a condensate collection sump 16 formed in the outer compartment 7 of the air conditioner.

In order to circulate outside air through the outer compartment, a fan 17 is provided which is also driven by the motor 19 through the shaft 18. The outer compartment fan 17 circulates outside air inwardly through the inlet grille 21 and over the heat exchanger 8, as seen in Fig. l. The outside air flows inwardly againstthe barrier 3 and is diverted radially along the barrier into the remaining portions of the outer compartment 7 tobe discharged through suitable outlet openings (not shown) in the casing 2 surrounding the outer compartment 7. When the air conditioning unit is operating on the cooling cycle; the outside air passing over the heat exchanger 8 cools this unit which is then operated as a condenser. When the unit is operating on the heating cycle, the reversing valve 11 reverses the flow of refrigerant to the heat exchangers 6 and 8 thereupon utilizing the heat exchanger 6 as a condenser and the heat exchanger 8 as an evaporator. During the heating cycle, air from within the room is blown by the fan 12 over the heat exchanger 6 to absorb the heat from this unit while outside air is blown over the heat exchanger 8 which then acts as an evaporator to absorb heat from this air. The heat removed from the air by the heat exchanger 8 is then utilized, via the refrigeration system and the heat exchanger 6, to warm the room. During the heating cycle, the outer compartment heat exchanger 8, which is operated as an evaporator, condenses moisture out of the outside air. This condensed water drips from the heat exchanger 8 into the lower portions of the outer compartment and flows into the condensate collection sump 16.

As thus far described, this air conditioner with its reversible heat exchanger system forms no part of the present invention, but is intended only to be illustrative of one type of air conditioner to which this invention is particularly well adapted. It is not intended to limit the invention only to air conditioners of the reversible refrigerant-flow type, as the invention is also very useful in the ordinary type air conditioner which may be permanently mounted in a wall or window of a room to provide ventilation and exhausting of air during the winter months. As will now be described, the invention deals with an arrangement for disposing of the condensate water which accumulates in the air conditioner sump during its operation on either the heating or cooling cycle.

As may be seen in Fig. 1, the heat exchanger 8 in the outer compartment is disposed upstream from the fan 17. Therefore, air must first flow through the heat exchanger 8 before being drawn into the fan. Because of the resistance to air flow of the heat exchanger 8, there is normally a low pressure area or region 22 created between the heat exchanger 8 and the fan 17 whenever the fan is operating. In order to prevent recirculation of air from the other portions of the outer compartment 7 into this low pressure region 22 and to provide a smooth entry for air from this region into the fan 17, an orifice plenum 23 is provided which directs the air from the heat exchanger 8 into the fan. The creation of a low pressure region 22 in this portion of the outer compartment plays an important part'in'the operation of the condensate water disposal means as will be more fully explained hereinafter in the. specification;

It will be noted that there is at least a portion of the condensate collection sump 16 arranged directly beneath the fan. Also, the condensate sump extends between the fan 17 and the heat exchanger 8 and is, therefore, exposed to the region 22 of low pressure. Attached to the periphery of the fan 17 is a slinger ring 24 which extends downwardly or dips into the condensate sump 16 and, during rotation of the fan, throws water from the sump into the upper portions of the outer compartment. Obviously, if water is allowed to remain in the sump 16 at a level above the lowermost portion 24a of the slinger ring, there is the possibility that the ring-may become solidly frozen in ice which might form in the-sump during the winter or during cold weather conditions. This would then prevent rotation of the fan 17 and might possibly cause damage to the fan motor 19 or other components of the air conditioning unit.

In order to raise the level of water in the sump 16 when the fan is operating and to lower the level of the water in the sump l6 when the fan ceases to operate, a-

drain arrangement is provided in the bottom of the sump incorporating a flexible diaphragm member 26 which is mounted within a hole in the bottom of the sump. Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the diaphragm is made from a highly resilient rubber or synthetic gasket material and is sealed entirely around the edge 25 of the hole. The diaphragm prevents water from flowing through the hole except through a drain arrangement provided in the diaphragm itself. More specifically, there is located centrally in the diaphragm a water drain hole 27 which, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, communicates through a small tunnel or'water passage 28, with the condensate collection sump 16. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the diaphragm 26 contains a water retaining extension or lip 29 around the periphery of the upper face 33 of the diaphragm. The lip 29 extends upwardly from the diaphragm a distance slightly above the lowermost portion 24a of the slinger 24. The opening 281: in the passage 28 leading to the drain 27 extends through the lip or upwardly extending extension 29 so that water in the sump may flow through the passage 28 and be drained from the sump whenever the diaphragm is in its unfiexed or normal position as shown in Fig. 3. Thus, whenever the diaphragm is in the position shown in Fig. 3, the height of the water in the sump 16 is always just below or equal to the level at the bottom of the opening 28a of the passage 28. As can be seen in Fig. 3, this water level in the sump is below the lowermost portion 24a of the slinger.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the sump is raised slightly from the floor of the case 2 thereby providing a region 35 beneath the sump. Air at pressures the bottom of the slinger.

the diaphragm. There is therefore, during operation of the fan 17, a pressure differential between the upper side 33 of the flexible diaphragm and the lower side 31 of the flexible diaphragm which causes the diaphragm to deflect upwardly or bulge in the upward direction. As may be seen in Fig. 4, this deflection raises the drain hole 27 above the bottom 24a of the slin-ger24. This, in turn, causes the condensate water to build up in the sump above When the air flow through the outer compartment ceases, and there no longer is a lower pressure in the region 22 and, therefore, no pressure difference on the opposite sides of the diaphragm, thediaphragm 26 resumes its normal position across the hole in the sump, as illustrated in Fig. 3. Water in the sump then flows through the passage 28 and out the drain hole 27 into the lower portions ofthe casing and thence out of the casing 2 through the overflow drain 32.

As was previously stated, the top face 33 of the diaphragm is surrounded by the retaining extension or lip 29. This prevents water from collecting on the surface of the diaphragm and perhaps impeding the action of the diaphragm. However, water which is thrown upwardly into the condenser compartment, sometimes falls into this portion of the diaphragm and collects therein. It is not desirable to let this water remain in the diaphragm since it involves extra weight to be overcome by the pressure differential on opposite sides of the diaphragm and also because it is likely to freeze andcause deterioration of the diaphragm member. In order to drain the water collecting on the upper surface 33 of the gasket, there is provided a small drain hole 34 which is positioned adjacent the edge of the upwardly extending lip or extension 29. This drain hole, as one can see in Fig. 4, is adjacent the outer edge of the diaphragm 26 and is lower than most portions of the diaphragm when the diaphragm is flexed in the upward direction. Water collecting on the surface naturally runs to the edges and out through the drain hole 34 thereby draining substantially all of" the water colleoting on the upper surface 33 of the diaphragm.

Due to the difierences in air pressure on opposite sides of the diaphragm during operation of the fan 17, air normally tends to flow upwardly through the opening 27 of the diaphragm as well as through the small drain hole 34. This flow of air in the upward direction would tend to equalize the pressure on opposite sides of the diaphragm and might prevent the deflection or bulging of the diaphragm if the air flow were substantially large or unimpeded. However, the drain hole 34 is made very small in comparison to the overall area of the surface 33 so that the air flow therethrough is substantially insignificant. Further, the drain hole 27 is relatively small and is also covered by that portion of the diaphragm forming the tunnel 28 which extends outwardly to the edge of the diaphragm. This forces the air, flowing through the drain hole 27, to follow a somewhat tortuous passage outwardly and creates a resistance to the flow of air in this direction. Furthermore, as the diaphragm begins to deflect upwardly, as may be seen in Fig. 4, the build-up of water in the tunnel eventually closes off the opening 28a of the tunnel and eflectively stops the flow of air out the passage.

By the present invention there has been provided a condensate disposal means of the slinger type having a simple and improved arrangement for assuring complete freedom of the slinger from water during periods of inoperation. Moreover, this is an inexpensive as well as an easily manufactured arrangement for draining the condensate water from the sump and for preventing freeze up of the slinger ring.

While in accordance with the patent statutes, there has been described what at present is considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention, and it is, therefore, the aim of the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 1 closure, a barrier in said casing dividing said casing into I an inner compartment having a side exposed to said enclosure and an outer compartment having a side exposed to the outdoors, inner and outer heat exchangers mounted respectively in said inner and outer compartments, air inlet and outlet openings in said outer com- 7 partment, a fan for circulating outside air through said outer compartment over said heat exchanger, said fan being positioned downstream from said outer heat exchanger so that during operation of said fan the region between said fan and said outer heat exchanger is reduced in pressure as compared to the pressure outdoors or in the otherportion of said outer compartment, means including a condensate water collection sump for collecting condensate water from said heat exchangers, said sump having at least a portion thereof exposed to said low pressure region between said outer heat exchanger and said fan, a slinger ring attached to the periphery of said fan and dipping into said sump for throwing condensate water into the upper portions of said outer compartm ent during rotation of said fan, said sump having a hole positioned below said low pressure region between said fan and said heat exchanger, a flexible diaphragm disposed in said hole in the bottom of said sump and having its upper side exposed to the region between said fan portions of said outer compartment, said flexible diaphragm having a drain hole centrally located therein for draining water from said sump, said flexible diaphragm being sufliciently resilient to be deflected upwardly due to the difference in air pressure on opposite sides of said diaphragm during operation of said fan so that the position of said drain hole is above the lowermost portion of said slinger ring during operation of said fan thereby raising the water level in said sump above the lower portion of said slinger during operation of said fan while permitting draining of said condensate water through said drain hole when said fan is not operating.

2. A self-contained air conditioner for conditioning the air Within an enclosure comprising a casing adapted to be mounted in an aperture in an outer wall of said enclosure, a barrier in said casing dividing said casing into an inner compartment having a side exposed to said enclosure and an outer compartment having a side exposed to the outdoors, inner and outer heat exchangers mounted respectively in said inner and outer compartments, air inlet and outlet openings in said outer compartment, a fan for circulating outside air through said outer compartment over said heat exchanger, said fan being positioned downstream from said outer heat exchanger so that during operation of said fan the region between said fan and said outer heat exchanger is reduced in pressure as compared to the pressure outdoors or in the other portion of said outer compartment, means including a condensate Water collection sump for collecting condensate water from said heat exchangers, said sump having at least a portion thereof exposed to said low pressure region between said outer heat exchanger and said fan, a slinger ring attached to the periphery of said fan and dipping into said sump for throwing condensate water into the upper portions of said outer compa-rtment during rotation of said fan, said sump having a hole positioned below said low pressure region between. said fan and said heat exchanger, a flexible diaphragm disposed in said hole in the bottom of said sump and having its upper side exposed to the region between.

said fan and said outer heat exchanger and having its bottom side exposed to air pressure from the outside or other portions of outer compartment, said flexible diaphragm having a drain hole centrally located therein for draining water from said sump, said drain hole communieating with the outer edge of said flexible diaphragm by a covered passage extending radially along the upper surface of said diaphragm, said flexible diaphragm being sufliciently resilient to deflect upwardly due to the difference in air pressure on opposite sides of said diaphragm during operation of said fan thereby raising the position of said drain hole above the lowermost portion of said slinger ring thereby raising the level of water in said sump above the lower portion of said slinger and during periods when said fan is not operating said diaphragm resumes its normal position across said hole so that condensate water flows through said drain hole thereby lowering the water level insaid sump below the lowermost portion of said slinger.

3. A self-contained air conditioner for conditioning the air within an enclosure comprising a casing adapted to be mounted in an aperture in an outer wall of said enclosure, a barrier in said casing dividing said casing into an inner compartment having a side exposed to said enclosure and an outer compartment having a side exposed to the outdoors, inner and outer heat exchangers mounted respectively in said inner and outer compartments, air inlet and outlet openings in said outer compartment, a fan for circulating outside air through said outer compartment over said heat exchanger, said fan being positioned downstream from said outer heat exchanger so that during operation of said fan the region between said fan and said outer heat exchanger is reduced in pressure as compared to pressure outdoors or in other portions of said outer compartment, means including a condensate water collection sump for collecting condensate water from said heat exchangers, said sump having at least a portion thereof exposed to said low pressure region between said outer heat exchanger and said fan, a slinger ring attached to the periphery of said fan and dipping into said sump forthrowing condensate water into upper portions of said outer compartment during rotation of said fan, said sump having a hole positioned below said low pressure region between said fan and said heat exchanger, a flexible diaphragm disposed in said hole in the bottom of said sump and having its upper side exposed to the region between said fan and said outer heat exchanger and having its bottom side exposed to air pressure from outside or other'portion's of said outer compartment, said flexible diaphragm having an upwardly extending lip formed around substantially the entire outer circumference of said'dia'phragm, said upwardly extending lip extending above the lowermost portion of said slinger ring, said flexible diaphragm having a drain hole centrally located therein for draining water from said sump, a closed passage leading from said drain hole to he edge of said diaphragm and having an opening extending through said upwardly extending lip for draining water from said sump through said passage into said drain hole of said flexible diaphragm, said flexible diaphragm being sutficiently resilient to be'deflected upwardly due to the difference in air pressure on opposite sides of said diaphragm during operation of said fan so that the position of said drain hole is above the lowermost portion of said slinger ring during operation of said fan thereby raising the water level in said sump above the lower portion of said slinger during operation of said fan while said diaphragm resumes its normal undeflected position to drain condensate water through said drain hole when said fan is not operating, and a second water drain hole in the diaphragm positioned adjacent the upwardly extending lip in the surface of said diaphragm for draining water collecting on the surface of said diaphragm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,911,800 McMillan Nov. 11, 1959 

